Track-laying machine.



c. 1. EGGERT. TRACK LAYING MACHINE.

' APPLICATION HLED MAYHJQH. 1,300,255. Patented Apr. 15,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

C. JLEGGERT.

TRACK LAYING MACHXNE. "APPLICATION H1511 Min/11.1914.

1,300,255. Patented 11 31151919.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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C. J. EGGERT.

- ,TRACK mms MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY H, 194- 1,300,255, Patented Apr. 15,1919.

3 SHEETS--SHEET 3- Bye/770 r:

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I citizen of the United Stateshresiding "at fLa CHARLES J. neenn'r; or LA onossn wIsooNsiN, -AssIe1voeTo EEHREE' EN-341141 LAYING MACHINE coMrAnY, "or LA *cnossn; WISCONSIN.

TRACK-LAYING MACHINE. F

To all whom it may concern I v, Be it known thatI, CHARL S J. EGGERT, a.

Crosse, in the countyof La Crosse and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Track-Laying Machines, or" which the following is aspecification. Y a a f A My invention relates totrack laying inachines, and its purpose to provide improved apparatus for use in laying the rails of a. railway track. My.machin e is espe-v cially adapted'for use in ere-laying orfr'e; placing the rails of a track, although its use is not exclusively confined to that purpose, as will be hereinafter set forth. As is well known to those familiar with the art, the laying of railway rails on the ties is a very irksorne and diificult task, requiring large numbers of men andnecessi tating great expense to complete the work in what is at best a very slow and tedious manner. 1

It is then the principal object of my invention to overcome the above named di'fliculties by providing apparatus of the kind re ferred to, the use of which will greatly reduce the amount of necessary labor andeiz pense and make possible the laying of lfail way rails with great relativev ease and speed. To this end I provide a machine of the "kind hereinafter to be described which maybe conveniently moved from place to place and by which a plurality oi movements may be given to the rail being laid with relatively little effort onthe part of the operators. Other objects will be set forth and made iapparent in the following specificationtaken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof; In the drawings: Figure 1 shows a side elevation of my improved track laying machine;

Fig. 2 shows 'a top plan view of the saine. Fig 3 shows a front or end elevation of the same; and r I i 1 j Fig. 4 shows a vertical. section through an auxiliary wheeland associated parts, show; ing the shaft in elevation. I

Like numerals refer to likeyp ts and elements in the several figures ofthe draw ings,;in which the numerallO designates (a railway tie in position onthe road'be'd servjug, together with the other ties of the track,

as a support for theirail-s-ll and 12 which'l Specificationof Letters latentr i Patented Apr. 15,1919.

Application as May 11, 1914. Serial 83739031 may hereinafter refer to as the :main or per% manent rails of a main track, it belng un-l idersto oclthat these aretherails to be rel-laid;

or replaced;

The truck designatedgenerally h by the numeral 13, comprises the side frame inembers the end frame members16' an'd17 which are securedtogether' at theirc meetingljoointsflrnrl' a I maintained in rigid relation toeach othehby. 651v the 'cross;braces l8 and '19., The/"end frame 1 memb'erslfiand 17- and thecross brace/s18 and 19 are preferably of angle ironform although other forms of construction may be used, if cleslre'd. Each of the side frame members 1 1 is made up of a vertically "ex;- tending portion 141 and a horizontally: extendingportion 14;"; eachof the latterparts carrying at one end, which I shall hereinafter callrthe right-hand end, or rear end of "the machine a bearing 20 ;having journaled thereon "a double, flanged wheel or roller '21 i which is retained ,in position by the pin 22 "and which is, adapted to coact with the i'ail 11. theirleffihand ends the portions 14 ofthe side frame 'members 14 arebent downwardl'y and terminate in effect bearings-23 having journaled thereon; double flanged l i wheels or'frollei s 2 which are retained in i pO$1t1OI1 on sa-id bearings by the-pins25.

Secured to the end traine member 17, at;

' eachend thereof;- are brackets 26 which are forwardly bent ito form loopsadjacenteach P of thefwheels 24. Each of thebrackets 2'6 carries a pin27 whichvis inalinem'entWith 1 ;-the center line of the adjacent "wheel or i roller 24 :jandeach ofsaid pins has pivoted 'thereonjthetwo armsof a pair of tongs 28, a The depending hooked jaws 29 of said tongs extendf down'wardly to a position adjacent the lower portion 'of the wheels24 and are adapted-to grip the head of a supplemental temporary or auxiliary rail'30. The upper l I endsof the arms of saidlt'ongs 28 areadapted to earsay togetheriwhenthehooked por 9 tions 29 'are :engaging'a temporary f rail-O-- and are ar'ranged'to be heldin suchposition' by clamping ringsBl which are slipped downwardlyoversaidiupper'portions thus maintainingthe hooked portions 29 in con-@ tact with the r aili30'. Eachofthe brackets '26 h-as secured thereto 'aidep'ending guide,

member if 2;l;1avingfan outwardlyjeiitending I lug33 at the'lower'end thereof; which-fis- "or car portion of my machine, 60

ground when the machine is lowered with the rail absent. These gulde members serve to guide the vrail 30 into a position parallel with the rail 11 when said rail is released from the tongs 28. At the righthand or rear end of the machine, two upwardly extending bars are secured to the end frame member 16 and bent forwardly at the point 35 to form two parallel and forwardly extending track members 36 which are inclined slightly from the hori- Zon'tal' and which extend outwardly of the machine in cantaliver fashion, as shown clearly in Fig. 1. These members 35, 36 are preferably of angle iron construction and arranged with the depending flanges of the portions36 adjacent each other. It

2 depending flange of one of the track members 36. Additional posts or struts 40 are secured to the end frame member 17 and fixed to the track members 36 forwardly Z of the members 39.

A cross brace 41 extends bet'weenqthe posts 10 adjacent the upper ends thereof and serves to maintain the track members 36 in parallel relation witheach other, The cantaliver portion 36 of each track member 36, which extends outwardly and forwardly of the machine to a considerable distance at one side of the railway track,is supportedby an inclined brace 42 which is fixed at its lower end to Q the corresponding of the members 10. The 40 construction of the frame and transverse track 37 is'g'iven further rigidity by the braces 43 which extend between the bars 35 and the posts 40, and which have cross braces l lvsecured thereto and extending th'erebetween.

carriage 415 provided with the frame 16 and the four-flangedwheels47, is adapted [to ri'deupon and coaet with the transverse track 37. The carriage45 is'provided with a bolster 48 which has pivoted thereon the bracket 19. An operating beam or lever 50 is pivoted on the bracket 49 by means of the pin- 51 and is of sufficient length to extend to a considerable distance at V the right of the truck 13 when the carriage 45 is at the forward end of the transverse track 37. The forward end of the operating leverj 50 is provided on itsupper side with a reinforcing plate 53 and onits lower side 6 0 V plate 54' which are. secured together and to with a combined reinforcing and journal the leverl50 by suitable bolts 55. The lower plate 54 is provided with a series of semi cylindrical grooves 56 which serve as journals for the pivotal con ne'ction made with the bracket 19 through the pin 51 and by means of these grooves the relative lengths of the lever 50 at each side of the pin 51 may be varied, as desired. At the forward end and on the lower side of the lever 50 are two chain hooks 60 and 61 having collars 62 and 63 secured thereto which are adapted to abut against the plate 54, and having the stem portions 61 and 65 which extend through the lever 50 and the plate 53 and which are engaged at their upper ends by nuts 66. These hooks thus serve also to secure the plates 53 and 54 to the lever 50. The forward hook 60 is adapted to engage any suitable link of a chain 67 which carries at its depending enda pair of rail tongs 68 having the inturned jaws 69 adapted to engage the head of a rail 70 which is to be transported into position to be fixed to the ties. One of the arms of said tongs 68 carries a handle 71 at the upper end thereof by means of which said tongs may be operated to readily engage or disengage the head of a rail.

It is apparent that after a rail has been engaged by the tongs 68 that the operating lever 50 may be manipulated to elevate said railfrom the ground, after which the carriage 15 may be caused to move rearwardly or to the right on the track 37 thereby moving the rail 70 toward the position which it to occupy on the ties.

Each of the track members 37 carries at the forward end thereof a plate 72 having an upturned lug 7 3 which is adapted to coact with a roller A7 of the carriage 15 when said carriage is in its extreme forward position and thereby prevent the carriage from running off the track. At the. right-hand end of the track 37, movement of the carriage 45 is limited by the bar 7 4 which extends between the upwardly extending bars 35 adjacent the point 35. The bar 7&1: has a notch 75 in the upwardly extending flange thereof in order to permit a greater downward movement of the operating lever 50.

To prevent the raising of the wheels 21 off of the rail 11, when the carriage is near the forward end of the track 37, I provide a hook '76 which is pivoted on the end frame member 16 and adapted to engage the head of the rail 11,

A chain having a'ring 81 at the end thereof, is secured to the cross bar ll and the end frame member 17, by means of the two chains 82 and 83. By manipulating the operating lever 50 the carriage 45' may be moved into a position on the track 37 adj acent the bar 741 after which the ring 81 may be passed. over the hook 61. After this adjustment has been made a downward pressure on the operating end of the lever 50 will tilt the entire machine to a position where it is supported entirely by the rail 11.

When it is desired to transport my machine a considerable distanceonthe track, I 3 make use of a flanged wheel 85, shownby dotted lines in Fig. '1 which is rotatably' mounted at the end of a squareshaftj86;

When it is'desired to use this 11681 the shaft 86 is'in'serted through the aperture 87" formed by the bracketi88, which issecu'red tothe underside of the eiidfram'e member 17. The shaft 86 isof sufiicient lengthso that when said shaft is inserted through-the aperture 87 the inner end thereof will abut against the upwardly extending flange ofthe end frame member 16.'

Having described the construction of my machine Twill now set forth, in a general manner; the principles the operation thereof." g i w Assuming that it is desired to re-lay the rails of a tiaclrand that the newrails-have been unloaded from the cars-and are'in position on the embankment on each side of the railway road bed, I placemy'machine with the wheels 21 coacting withga rail" at one side of the track and after lowering theforward end of the machine until the temporary trail restson the ties the tongs L28 area'eleased from "said temporary rail byremoving the rings 31, after which the rollers 24: will rest on said temporary rail and be free to roll thereon. The tongs need not be entirely disconnected or removed from opposite sides "of the rail 3O provic led' they are detached or releasedsufficiently from the head'of the rail to permit longitudinal movement of the truck on the temporary; rail. It will be ap parent that after this adjustment has been made, my machine is supported to be moved longitudinally of the track a distance equal to the length of the temporaryrail 301' It is, of course, assumed thatthe rail 12shown in dotted lines, has been removed frointhe ties, and that a new rail 70 is to belaid in the position on the ties formerlyoccupied by the rail 12. 'After adjusting the hook 76' to engage the head of the rai1'1-1, the operating lever is manipulated to move the carriage e5 to the forwardrenclof the; track 37 at which point the forward, endof the lever '50 is lowered and'the length of' the chain 67 is adjusted'untilthe tongs 68 jean be conveniently made to engage'the head-of a rail 7 Oby manipulation of the handle 71.

The right handend ofthe operatinglever 50 is then lowered, therebycausing the rail TO to be elevatedfromthe'ground. For this purpose the flever ratio may be'altered' by varying the positionvofthe pin; 51 in the grooves 56. 'The operatorsthen cause the carriage 4:5 to move to the right on the transyerse track 37', this movement being assisted by the inclination-of said track, until the rail 70 has assumed approximately the'de sired position on t-he ties of the road bed. It is possible that the new rail maybemo'ved to'said position b onesuch'epemtion as has tiesfl t I It isthus apparent that I have' lprovided amend- 116x 61 means for use in laying the just been described, 1 but owing to the 'lenigt'hof said rails thefweight thereof; i it"may be desirable to alternately grip the rail atjeac h end tlhereoiifand m ove each end. of the rail into position 'Olltlle road-bed by separate operations In order that thismay tee-101 the machine may be conveniently moved'on the temporary rail 30 and the 4 11 .to the desire d'position relative to the new i Q Itwill-beunderstood that the use ct -my apparatus is not confined to the laying ofl thenew section of rail 'in position' to be spiked {to the ties, since 1t 1siadapted to be used with equal adyantage'ifor i'emovlng the old section of rail from positionon,- the" ties;

After one rail has been'moved 'into 5POS1- tion to be "spikedto' theties, the hook? 6 is released fronrthe' rail ll and 'the1t0ngs 28= V Y are again caused"- to- -engage tl1e[ ten1porary rail 30 and the hook His-caused to engage the" chain 80, after which the operating lever 50 is inanipulated 'to tilt the entire'machine into a position whereitmay-beinoved a lim itedfdistance longitudinally of the railway track upon the rail 11, it" being understood that". during this movement the 1 temporary rail 30 "is carried by the'machine so' that 'nvhen the operatorsreac-h a position-onthe 3 rail llopposite the point where-the next "section-ofnew rail is to be laid; the lowering of the machine from" its'tilted position will again cause the temporary rail to rest: on the tiesin a position parallel to the rail 11: The operationot' nioving a new section of rail into position to be spiked to the ties is-then repeated; the operating'lever and other parts of the" machine being manipulated in any desired manner in order to effect the result desired. It isof co-urse apparent that dun iing this operatlon of moving the 1'a11-*1nto position to bespiked, the operation-of the lever whereby the rail-is elcvated maywbe combined with the inovem entiof thecarriage on the t'rackp37 and with "amoveinent of the entire machinelongitudinally of the-raily'v ay If it is desired tomove my machine a con-'- siderable distance alongthefrailway track, thewheel 85 may be utilized; so that the en aroma-nin maybe pushedorpropelled in any conyeni'ent' manner uponthe main'rails track orlft he'temporary ra 'il'3 0f andth'e main When the shaft 86 is inserted'in the aperture 87, the 1tmporaryrai1 30 and associated parts are eleyated out "of 1 contact with the rails of 3a railway track witlra very small" amount'ofe'ifort 'n thefipart of the operators",

machine may be used for other purposes not hereinspecified, and that it may-be'used for laying a new track when the road bed is first 7 constructed, provided one rail of said track 7' track have been laid or re-laid, my machine may be reversed in its position and used to lay or re-lay therails at the other side of the track. 7

'Although I have shown and described a single auxiliary wheel and a plurality of truck wheels, and have recited a single auxihary wheel and a plurality of truck wheels in a number of'the appended claims, it will be understoodthat the number of wheels may be varied and equivalents substituted Without departing from the scope of the claims, e- I I have described in detail one particular embodiment of my invention, but it will be understood that certain features thereof may be altered and equivalents substituted as circumstances may suggest or necessity require without departing from the spirit of my invention as defined by the appended claims. V

VVha-t I claim is :V V v 1. In a rail-laying apparatus, a truck having Wheels for travel on alined rails, and a supplemental rail hung from the truck under other wheels of the same.

2. In a rail-laying apparatus, a truck having wheels for travel on alined rails, and a supplemental rail in' rocking suspension fromthe truck under other wheels of the same.

3. In a rail-laying apparatus, a truck having wheels for travel on alined rails, means for clamping the truck to one of said rails, and a supplemental railhung from the truck under other wheels of the same.

4:. In a rail-laying apparatus, a truck organized for travel onparallel lines of railwaytrack-rails, and means for suspending and carrying an auxiliary rail under other wheelso'f the. truck inside of one of said lines of trac'k-rails.

5. In a rall-laylng apparatus, a truck 7 havingwheels for travel on alined rails, and

a supplemental longitudinally adjustable rail in suspension from-thetruek under other wheels of the same.

7 .6. In a machine for laying the rails of a railway track, a truck having rollers adapted to coact with a main rail of said railway track, said truck also being provided with rollers adaptedt-o coact with a temporary raihmeans to support said truck in position to be moved longitudinally on saidmain rail,

and means carried by 7 said truck for supporting said temporary" rail during said movement. 7 V

' 7. In a rail-laying apparatus, a truck having wheels for travel on alined rails, a supplemental rail hung from said truck, and means carried by said truck to coact with and travel on said supplemental rail.

8. In a machine for laying the rails of a railway track, a supplemental rail, a truck having wheels for travel on one rail of said track and on said supplemental rail, and means carried by said truck to support said supplemental rail adjacent one of said wheels.

9. In a rail-laying apparatus, a frame, means carried with said frame to coact with and travel on a rail of a railway track, a supplemental track carried by said frame and arranged to be released in a position opposite said track rail, and means carried by said frame to coact with and travel on said supplemental track when the same is released.

10. In a track-laying machine, a frame, means carried by said frame to coact with and travel on a rail of a railway track, a supplemental rail carried by said frame, means carried by said frame to coact with and travel on said supplemental rail, means to release said supplemental rail in position to support said machine, and means carried by said frame to engage a section of rail to V be laid.

11. In a machine of the class described, means to coact with and travel on a rail of a railway track, a supplemental rail, means to engage and support said supplemental rail, means to release said supplemental rail in position parallel to said railway track rail, means carried by said machine to coact with and travel on said supplemental ail when released, and. means to engage and lay a section of railin position parallel to said first-mentioned railway track rail and outwardly of said supplemental rail.

12.111 a track laying machine, a truck having wheels arranged for travel on a pair of parallel rails, a releasable rail carried by said truck for supporting said truck when released in position on the road-bed, a track mounted on said truck transversely of said rails, and means arranged to run on said track for moving a section of rail to be laid.

13. The combination in a device for laying track rails, of a pair of rails seated upon the roadbed of and forming a track of narrower gage than the gage of the track to be laid, a truck mounted to run on said narrow gage track, means carried by said truck for engaging a section of rail to be laid and moving the same into the desired position,

carried thereby and adaptedto roll upon a -and' arranged to "elevate certain of s l i I traclga releasable trackmember: carried by f said frame, rollers carried .by' said frameto coast with said releasable traclrmember when the same isreleased from said frame,

means 'to engagea section of rail'to bejlaid, and means Carried by saldirame to support sald section of rail. i

15'. In a track-layingmachine, aii ame,

portable rail, means carried by said frame to detachably' engage said portable rail, means carried'by said'frame to coaetwith said portable rail when detached, and means carried by said name to coast vvithfamain' 21. In" a trail-laying supplementalrail hungffrom the truok under ,othen'ivheel's' of theisa'me; a supplemental it wheel f or travel on al nedrailsparalleling v apparatus, a {truek' H having"Wheels for trayel on:al1nedra-1ls-,a

3 those aforesaid, and an axle carrying-said. 1"

track rail, said machine beingadapted to e move longitudinally of said trash. on said detached portable, rail and said in ain track Q 16. In a'track-laying.machine, a main frame, a portable rail, means carried by said mainframe to detaohably engage said port: able rail, means carried by said, frame to coact with said portable rail when detached,

meanscarried by said frame to eoact with a,

main track rail, said machine being adapted to move longitudinally of said track on said .1

detached portable railand said main! track rail, means to support a section of rail to be;

laid, and means to move said section of'rail transverselyof said track. I f

17. In a machine of the elass'desoribed, a truck, means Wherebysaid truck may be supported in position .on one railonlyOf a supplemental ivheel, said axlebeingiattaehabletothe'franieol said truokto prey-idle for I sustaining the supplemental rail aii'd'itsopposing wheelsiin elevated position abovethe :1 adjacent roadbed. e In a rail-laying apparatus, a truck having'wheels r01 travelon alined rails, andv a supplemental rail hung from the truek rails opposite; those aforesaidandthereby;

elevatesaid supplei nental rail out of normal y fmovi11g-means for tilting said maohinetrans versely of said track and support ng the same on said first-mentioned alined rails;

railway track to move longitudinally thereof, a temporary rail carried by said truck,

means to release said temporary rail from said truck in position parallel tofsaidi track rail, and means carried bysaid trnckto ooact with said temporary rail when released,

whereby said truck may be supported on said temporary rail and'sald track rail for move ment longitudinally of said track.

18. In combination, a truck having Wheels arranged for travel on alined rails, an auX- ili'ary Wheel detachab-ly mounted on "said truck and arranged for travel on alined rails parallel to said "first-named rails,and

means carried by said truck forengaging and moving a sectionof rail to he lai'd,..said

auxiliary Wheel being normally detached When said rail engaging means is inoperation. 1

19. In a rail-laying apparatus, a truck having Wheels for travel on alined rails, a

supplemental rail hung from the tru'ck under other Wheels ofthe sa1ne,and"a supple--; mental Wheel attached to said I frame for, travel on alined rails parallel to those aforesaid.

1 25. In a machine; for; laying theirails of railiv ay track, a temporary'rail, a trucksup ported by one rail of said track and by said temporary rail and adapted to roll longi- 20. In a rail-laying apifiaratus, a truele having Wheels for travel on aline'd rails of a railway track and on a supplemental rail parallel to said alined rails, anda supple mental wheel arranged for travel onal'ined rails parallel to said first-mentioned"rails' underrother Wheels of-the same, in combination with r a detachable axle carryingwheel 7 I" by which to mount said truck on :othen-alined T v position.-

mentioned rails, means carried. by said frame said truck transversely bf th direction of movement thereof, aoarriage mountedlto" for moving a section of rail to be laid, and

means to permit theo'pe'ration of sad railmove on said transyersetraek, an operating leyer pivoted on said.'oar1iage, a hook *secured to said lever, and meansto secure-said hook to the frame of, said truek, wherebysaid truck may be tilted by said lever to be. supported only by the rail 'ofsaid track and togbe moved longitudinallythereontudin'ally thereof, a traok supported by said truck transversely ofthe direetionof more ment thereof, a carriage mounted to moyef I20- on said transverse track, an operating lever pivoted on .sald carriage, a hook seeuredto said lever, means to secure saidhook-to the: i frame ofsaid truck, whereby said truok'may- 1 be-tilte'd y Said lever to be sup-ported onlyby a rail of said track-and to be' moved lon gitudin'ally thereon, and means carried by;

said temporary rail saidv frame tov support during said movement. a v

26L In .a maehinefor "laying therails of a railway track, a truck having wheels adaptpar" e 7 ed to coaetswith a main rail of said railwa track and with a temporary rail parallel. thereto, means tosupport said truck in pos1- tion to be moved longitudinally on said main 7 rail, and tongs carried byfsaid trnc-k ior supporting said temporary rail during said movement.

27.- In a machine for laying the rails of a ra11way.track,-a truck haying Wheels adaptrail, tongs carried by said truck for supporting said temporary rail during said movement, means to release said tongs when it is desired that said machine be supported on said main rail and temporary rail, and guide members to direct said temporary rail into a position parallel to said main rail.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

CHAS. J. EGGERT. \Vitnesses ANDREW LEE, CARRIE MARSH.

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' Washington, D. C. 

